A Mother's Heart
by Winjessin
Summary: What if, in New Moon, Esme came, instead of Alice? Part two in a series of six! A little longer then the last one. T for safety! Review please! Flames welcomed with open arms!


BPOV:

I watched Jake speed away, off to warn the pack of the new vampire in town. It must be Carlisle. He must be here to see

Charlie. I don't care what Jake says. It's not Victoria. She was smarter then that.

I take a deep, shaking breath, preparing myself to meet a member of the Cullen family.

Slowly, ever so slowly, I walk towards the door. I don't trust myself not to become a pool of tears upon seeing their face.

I grab the door handle. Turn the tumblers. Twist the knob. Exert the tiny amount of pressure necessary to open the door.

Inside, the lights are off. What? That makes no sense. Maybe it wasn't them. Maybe someone else owned the car outside, as ridiculous as it seems. But no…. Yes?... No?...

The lights are turned on. I could've cried my self to death right there, for in front of me, stood Esme.

" Oh, my God," I whisper, barely intelligible. Esme's looking at me like I might vanish any minute.

" Bella!" She cries, before running towards me, and engulfing me in a hug, sobbing loudly.

" Bella! Bella! Bella!" She cries again, burying her face in my shoulder.

" Esme," I sob, now crying myself.

" I've missed you so much," I manage to spit out.

" I- we've missed you to Bella. So, so, much." She's gasping for unnecessary air " My daughter. My daughter."

I don't know how long we stood there, crying in each other's arms, but, I was the closest to being whole as I had been in a long, long time. I had my mother back.

Noticing that neither of us would stop crying for a while to come, I pull us both over to the sofa.

" Esme," I ask softly, " Don't get me wrong. I'm so glad you're here, but, why did you come? "

She looks at me, pouring maternal love out of her eyes.

" Bella, I've missed you so much. Our family isn't complete without you there, I came, to either bring you up where we live, or get our family back here."

I stare at her, uncomprehending.

" Esme, I couldn't do that. Not to Edward. It would make it so hard for him. He doesn't want me around. He… he doesn't love me. He said so himself." The hole in my chest rips at me painfully, leaving me gasping for air once more.

Fire burns in Esme's eyes. " You actually believed that?"

" How could it not be true?" I whisper averting my eyes.

Esme's hand grabs my face. " Never believe that," she hisses.  
" Never again think that." But how could I not?

She sees the disbelief in my eye's.

" Bella," she says firmly " There's something I have to tell you. It's not my story to tell, but I think it's necessary." I nod meekly, telling her to continue. She takes another deep breath.

" Bella, the day of your birthday, after Jasper attacked you, Edward was in a frenzy. He couldn't decide what the right thing to do would be. It was like an angel and a devil sat upon his shoulders, whispering in his ears. He wouldn't talk to us, he sat in his room all day, brooding. Until one night," Her face takes on an anguished expression " Until, one night, he came and told us we were leaving. With out you. The whole family was devastated, even Rosalie, I think you were starting to grow on her." Esme half-smiles. " After… after we had left, Edward told us what he had said to you, to make you let him go. Carlisle was shocked. He couldn't speak. Alice shrieked her head off, yelling profanities at him. Emmett snapped, he threw Edward through a wall. Jasper kept muttering 'it's all my fault', over and over again. Rosalie kept slapping him, which I can tell you, thoroughly shocked us all. He- Edward- took it all, without complaint. Afterwards, he went to his room, curled up into a ball, and stayed that way, without moving, for three months. Jasper and Alice had to leave, because the pain coming from Edward was to much to handle. After those three months, Edward went off to hunt down Victoria. We hear from him every now and then, sometimes he visits. But he's always in pain."

Unbelievable. Edward felt _guilty! _Of all the conceited... I had to tell him to let go. To tell him to not feel guilty about what he did. It's only fair.

"Well, he didn't do a very good job of hunting down Victoria," I chuckle once, without humor. Esme looks up at me, confusion, shock, and worry etched all over her features. I clear my throat, unnecessarily.

" Well," I manage to choke out, " She- Victoria- nearly killed me today." Esme's mouth opens and closes, with out making a sound

" How?" Is all she says.

" Well, when I jumped off the cliff…" I trail off at Esme's horrified expression. " Well, I guess I should start at the beginning." And so I tell Esme the entire story, starting with the last words Edward said to me. By the end of it, Esme's staring at me like I've grown a second head, sprouted a pair of wings, turned her into a pumpkin, and proven to her that I could bring back the dead.

The first thing she said, after taking it all in, was " Your best friend is a were-wolf?"

" Kind of ..." I admit sheepishly. She sighs, shaking her head, muttering " Only you, Bella."

" Esme, I have a question, about your story..." I venture. She raises her eyebrows slightly as a response. " What was the point, to tell me that Edward," I choke on his name. " That Edward feels guilty about what he did?"

" You mean you don't understand?" Esme asks, shocked.

" Well, no… " I trail off suggestively

" Bella," She laughs breathlessly " Bella, can't you see? He loved you. He still does. He never once stopped." I stop breathing. She has to be lying… she has to be.

" And since Alice has probably already seen this," she mutters, pulling out her cell phone, and punching in a number, pressing call.

" Hello, Alice?" She says pleasantly " Yes, Alice, this is Esme. Now I'm calling you to tell you to tell every one else to pack up, and get on the road. We're moving back to Forks." My heart stops. Are they really? " Oh," Esme appears thoroughly shocked. " You're already on the way? Figures you would have seen this... And yes, she's here. I guess you could talk to her…" I gasp. Alice. I could talk to Alice? " Bella?" Esme asks, holding out the phone.

" Hello?" I say breathlessly into the receiver

" Bella!" Is my shouted reply.

" Oh, Alice, I've missed you so much" I sob.

" I've missed you, too." It sounds as if she's crying as well. " We're on our way, Bella, don't you worry. And what's this about you befriending a were-wolf?" She half shrieks.

" Bella what?" Emmett booms. " Gimme Alice," he says and I hear the sound of a phone being snatched.

" Bella, Bella, Bella," He chuckles. " You can't stay out of trouble for one minute can you?"

" I'll have you know that he wasn't always a were-wolf," I sniff. " He's only been a wolf for a week or so!"

" What?" He asks, and I can picture him raising his eyebrows.

" You heard me," I sniff again. Then I remember something. " Emmett?" I ask quietly

" Yes, oh clumsy human?" He teases.

" Can I speak to Jasper?" I hear Emmett give a sharp intake of breath, then stutter out a 'sure'.

A moment later a muted 'Hello?' comes through the phone

" Jasper!" I exclaim, letting warmth flood my tone.

" Bella, I'm so sorry about what happened I just lost control and-"

" Jasper," I say sharply, cutting him off. I speak softly now, as if to a child. " Jasper, there is no need to apologize. Esme told me you've been blaming yourself lately, and I want you to stop. It's in your nature. It was completely my fault, me and my clumsy human tendencies." I hear him give a nervous chuckle.

" Thank you, Bella," is all he responds and then I'm talking to Alice again.

" We're right around the corner Bella!" She sings, then hangs up.

I just sit there with my mouth hanging open, only slightly aware of handing Esme's phone back to her.

I hear the sound of a front door crashing open. Next thing I know, I'm being pulled in to a hug by a small, slender, black-haired, pixie-like girl.

" Alice!" I shout.

" Bella!" She squeals.

Soon we're both laughing and jumping like school girls, until I'm snatched from Alice's arms, and pulled into a bone-crushing bear hug that could only belong to Emmett.

" Emmett… can't… breathe!"

" Oops. Sorry." He chuckles. I laugh again and pull him into a quick hug.

" Bella." Carlisle! He pulls me into a fatherly, one-armed hug.

I turn to Jasper and grin at him, and he grins back. Words are unnecessary.

Then I turn to Rosalie. She smiles at me tentively. I turn to Alice, who smirks and nods her head. I turn back to Rosalie, then run at her, pulling her into a hug. Every one, apart from Alice, stares at me, shocked. Rosalie doesn't move an inch. I pull back, to see her looking at me, shock written all over her face.

" I missed you, Rosalie." I say, smiling at her warmly. She blinks, then pulls me into a fleeting hug. Aha. I cracked her.

" Bella…" Comes the whisper from behind me. I freeze. I turn slowly. I look at him.

" Edward," I breathe. He runs up to me, pulling me tight to his chest, and burying his face in my hair. I pull back, breaking away, to look at his face. It shows shock, pain, and… love? Love. Esme was telling the truth. This puts me on cloud nine. In my peripheral vision I see Jasper chuckle slightly at my emotions.

" Bella," He says, agony twisting his velvet voice, " Bella, I'm so sorry, I never should have left. It was wrong. What I said in the forest-" I cut him off putting my finger's over his lips. His eyes soften minutely.

" I know, Edward," I whisper. " Esme told me." I see Edward glare momentarily at her, then turn back to me, pulling me into his embrace again.

" I love you," He whispers.

" I love you, too," I murmur. He pulls back, smiling my favourite crooked grin. My knees tremble. Suddenly, he lowers his face to mine, crushing my lips with his.

The kiss breaks all the boundries he ever set, leaving me panting when we pull apart.

" Alice!" Jasper shouts.

We all turn to look at her. Her expression is blank and vacant. She's having a vision.

" Bella," She says, snapping out of it. " Bella, I'm so sorry. We have to change you at graduation. The Volturi have learned of you. They'll kill you if we don't. I'm so, so sorry." I feel Edward growl, and I place my hand on his cheek, attempting to calm him. I nod dizzily, still trying to take it in.

Edward growls again. " We'll leave you two be." Carlise says, and everyone but Edward leaves the room.

I turn to face him. He's pinching the bridge of his nose between his forefinger and thumb. " I suppose this was inevitable." He whispers.

" Edward?" I ask quietly. He looks down at me. " Can… will you change me?" He freezes, and stops breathing. He purses his lips, and suddenly grins.

" How much is it worth to you?" He asks.

" Anything." I answer breathlessly.

" Marry me first." Is his reply.

" Your joking right?" I choke out.

" Bella, you're wounding my ego."

" But I'm only eighteen!"

" I'm about a hundred and ten. It's really time I settled down."

" Of course you would say that."

" Well, it is true."

" Don't make me come over there."

" You're already in front of me."

" Oh, very mature."

I hear Emmett laughing, and laughing hard.

" Shut up, Emmett" I yell at him

"Like you could do anything to me, puny human!" He roars back.

" Don't make me set the werewolves of La Push on you!" Is all I respond. He doesn't talk again. I smirk.

" We're going to have to talk about that." Edward says, grimacing.

I shrug. I'm not going to abandon Jake. He's my friend.

" But back to the original topic," Edward continues, " I know marriage is a big stretch for you, as you were raised to oppose it. But, Bella, if you want me to be the one to change you…"

" Duh-duh-duh-duh," I mutter under my breath

" Exactly," He grins.

" I'll think about it," I mutter.

" Thank you," He says and presses his lips to my fore head.

Soon Emmett barges in, with everyone else following him in sheepishly. I smile, and motion for them all to sit down. They smile gratefully. Edward pulls me into his lap.

" So, Bella," Emmett begins teasingly " What's all this about the werewolves of La Push?"

I'm about to open my mouth to respond, when Charlie comes in the front door, saying " Bella who's visit-" He cuts off seeing all the Cullen's smiling up at him, Carlisle a little warily. The same as Edward.

Emmett is grinning without shame. " Char-lay!" He exaggerates his name. " It's great to see you again, chief!" He pulls Charlie into one of his bear-hugs

" Isn't it great," Emmett sighs like a girl fantasizing about the perfect boy friend, which was extremely scary. " We're all back, Edward and Bella are together again, and we're all one big happy family." Charlie's gaze focuses on me, in Edward's lap. I cower into Edward's chest. His face purples.

" Damn you, Emmett," are my last words, before Charlie explodes in anger.

It doesn't matter though. I've got my Mother. I've got my Father. I've got my best friend. I've got my ridiculous brother. My tenacious sister, my calmer sibling, and I've got the love of my existence. My life, my reason. Together, we'll get through anything.

Unable to stop myself, I quickly stretch up pecking Edward on the jaw, almost giving Charlie an aneurysm.

**THE END!!**

**SORT OF!!**

**YEAH…….**

_All things belong to Stephenie Meyer, including my soul. Now, continue on to Eclipse and Breaking Dawn, like you know you want to… ;p End of part two of six! _


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